The Vols

The black jerseys look better. But only if you have black helmets to go with them.

Oh, I guess that wasn't Clay's point. But I couldn't resist :)

A very funny cartoon about a very unfortunate incident.

All that said, I hope the Vols do well against Ole Miss today!

Very funny, Clay. I do want to ask a non-antagonistic question, OllieH. Would this situation be as unfortunate if they were average kids from the community with no hopes of playing professional sports?

Why can't they just re-use the numbers since they have so many worthless players? They can't ALL be retired.

somethingorother asks, "OllieH. Would this situation be as unfortunate if they were average kids from the community with no hopes of playing professional sports?"

Of course it would be, but other kids might not risk loosing so much as a result.

All kids do stupid things (and this was REALLY stupid), but not all youthful transgressions will have the profound impact on a young person's life as this particular event will have. Through years of hard work, these three young men earned a great opportunity to go to a terrific school and play in one of the nation's top athletic programs. One moment's bad decision is now jeopardizing that opportunity, and threatens to negate all those years of hard work and training.

It would be just as tragic if it was a kid who was given a great opportunity because of his or her scholarship, or artistic talents, and then foolishly squandered that opportunity.

I guess it's like gambling: It's always unfortunate to loose a hand, but it seems worse when you have more invested in the pot.

Ricardo, you do realize that the point of this cartoon is that the player in the middle has a prisoner number, right?

Hah-larious!

Not funny, but truly sad. The only thing sadder would be if Coach Kiffin doesn't do that which is necessary to ensure nothing like this ever happens again. Immediately.

Thank you for your time and attention, Woody

Woody, why blame the coach?

The bigger question is why the four people in question, three of which are/were UT players allegedly attempted to rob someone?

These three individuals, if indeed guilty, took it upon themselves to make a very poor decision to commit a crime, and all three were old enough to know better.

What I am surprised to see, not here necessarily, but in other forums, are people who want these three kicked off the team immediately, even though none of them has faced their accusers in court yet.

It doesn't make sense that these guys, who may have decent futures ahead of them, would resort to tactics taken by others who have nothing at all to lose when they are desperate.

Right now, they are accused of a crime. From what I have read, there does not appear to be any witnesses to what happened.

Suspending the players subject to the outcome of the charges is the right thing to do, until they are either convicted or acquitted of the crime they are charged with.

I think we all remember the North Carolina Lacrosse Team incident. All of those players were acquitted of all charges, and rightfully so. Accusations are not proof that a crime was committed.

Rushing to judgment in these type of cases is not a good idea.

Very well said alprova!

alprova wrote: "Woody, why blame the coach?"

Woody wasn't blaming the coach.

Lightnup, I thank you for coming to my rescue. And you are right, I wasn't attempting to blame anyone.

However, having said that, Alprova was also right about not rushing to judgment. There is every possibility, there was at least one other Prius on campus that night, holding three young men, a couple of 'hoodies' and a (pellet) gun. And, yes there were no (other) witnesses to the alleged crime, save for the alleged victims. But none of this makes any of the accused guilty. However, I do believe there is more than enough for Coach Kiffin to arrive at the only sensible thing to do and that would be to make examples of them.

My grandmother, or someone's grandmother, once said, "Nothing good ever happened after midnight." And I'd be willing to bet one or more of the accused had heard those words at least once, in their young lives. This incident, guilty or not, may serve as an excellent life lesson.

I am more concerned about them becoming better men than catered-to football players.

Thank you again for your time and attention, Woody

Thank God the university is teaching these young people how to make good choices. They had noticed that just like their professors had taught them, "If you take fries with your order, you'll be charged more." They were sharp enough to know not to add that "Cheeseburger" to their order of "Give me everything you've got." They didn't needlessly shoot their robbery attempt victims either. Way to go guys. Smart kids. That saved them murder in commission of a felony or attempted murder charges. Someone said the thought of robbery was "probably drug induced". Duh!!! Most robberies are drug related. I wish all you sports nuts who can remember every players name and stats but can't remember you're children's birthdays a lot of luck in whining and crying about these poor thugs in football uniforms being in trouble with the law. Maybe call a time out. For God sakes don't PUNT.

Bravo alprova! Very, very well-stated.

Clay, C'mon Man! Innocent until proven guilty. Are you so cynical that you have forgotten the basic tenets of American life? Yeah, I know, you are.

Oh my!! Did I hear someone compare this crime to the Lacrosse team incident. Just a few points here that may be diffrent. The fine team players hired a black hooker, I believe they were unhappy with the services provided and someone dropped the "N" BOMB. That is what started the ball rolling in that case. Now, fast forward to this incident, we have 2 black men with a gun asking very politley I'm sure, for everything they the victims have. When the car is searched the fine young lady claims the weed is hers and hers alone!! I have never known of an athlete to indulge in questionable substances before. Oh did I forget to mention that we were treated to the usual onslought of the great Rev. Sharpton & J. Jackson in the Lacrosse case. I do not know why but they do not seem to appear when the shoe is on the wrong foot. They didn't make an appearance during the kidnap, rape, mutilation & murder trial of the young white couple in Knoxville that is finally wraping up. The fact remains that you are guilty until proven innocent once you are arrested and it dosen't look so good for the FAB 4. Remember, the next time someone puts a gun in your face and says "stick em up" at 2 am and you ID them, they are not guilty until a court says so!! I'm just sayin!!

whatsthefuss -- interesting comments. I for one, have actually been held up at gunpoint -- and guess what -- it sucks. I was at an ATM in Atlanta in the early 90's and was held up at what was then a Bank South ATM, after dark, by a young black male wearing a Raiders hoody. Man, that was some crazy sh___. I thought I was dead. He had me get on the ground, face down, after he ambushed me while I was taking some money out of my little bank account so I could buy some beer during the baseball playoffs. Unlike Nu'Keese et al, my assailant's gun was real, it was a Glock 9mm. Nasty little gun. Not sure what my point is, but I agree this is a heinous act despite the fact that it was a pellet gun. I should probably be madder at them than I am. Have a goodun.

OK -- Clay's thread is wearing thin. Can we discuss something more important? Did you all see that our "president" bowed to the leader of Japan? Wow. This is so unprecedented. We have a president who honestly hates his own country. How sad.

Woody, I'm sorry about the way I worded that first sentence earlier. I wrote that in a rush, on my way out the door to attend a wedding.

You weren't blaming the coach. I understand that. But why are so many people ready to accept that these boys are nothing short of guilty, just because three guys claim they tried to rob them?

Who doesn't wear "hoodies" these days? I own a half dozen of them myself.

The pellet gun? What if by chance these three accusers happened to see the boys leaving the store and one of them happened to see the pellet gun sticking out of his pocket and decided to call 911 as a concerned citizen, but embellished the story?

The claim by all three men was they they all had empty wallets and showed the alleged robbers that they were empty. What are three broke men doing at a convenience store thirty miles from where they lived at 1:30 in the morning?

How do we know that the three boys simply happened to walk by the car where these three were, and maybe one of the boys happened to brush up against the car accidentally, whereupon one of the three men, or all of them for that matter, launched a barrage of racial epithets on the three boys? Maybe the pellet gun was pulled to shut them up.

What better way to put three (insert epithet here) back in their place by dialing 911 and claiming that three black dudes in hoodies just tried to rob you. It's believable enough, right?

I've read the arrest reports. a few things bother me after reading them.

First, supposedly the 911 call was placed by one of the men who were being told to give up all their money AT THE TIME that they were being robbed. If the three men believe that a semi-automatic pistol was being brandished and pointed in their direction, who in their right mind would place a call to 911 while a pistol is aimed at them?

Secondly, what idiot would go mere blocks from the University area where they are living, to rob someone, where they could or would be readily recognized, at a store that is located in an area that has high volumes of traffic from three major roads in Knoxville, would attempt to rob three grown men at the same time with nothing more than a co2 pellet gun, and then top all that off by entering an easily identifiable automobile in plain sight of the victims?

It doesn't add up.

There is another side to what happened that night and it deserves to be heard.

By the way, the car that the four defendants were in was not found on the UT campus, as has been reported by some in the press. It was stopped by an officer on Neyland Avenue at Leonard Lane, a half mile southwest of the campus. Considering that they had passed up the road that would have taken them to the campus, it doesn't appear to me that they were trying very hard to get away from the scene of a crime.

It looks more to me as if they were just out riding around.

In Japan, Walden, the depth of the bow indicates the measure of respect and superiority felt toward the other. Dear Leader gave the lowest.

The recipient generally acknowledges the deepest bow with a bare nod of his head...except the Emperor, who bows to no one. Our presidents used to act that way toward foreign heads of state.

Properly done, the handshake and the bow are performed separately, not concurrently...so he gets a C- in grovelling.

According to the WH News Bureau, he was just checking to make sure his shoes were tied...

Waaaaaahhhh!!! The President bowed to another foreign leader!!!!

I'm tellin'.....

Honestly- you'd think a show of respect translated to burning an American flag, or something. Walden stated that this somehow indicates that President Obama hates his own country? I'll tell you what's sad, Walden- your inanity! That's sad.

Yeah, you would run home and tell. But we have our own ball, so who cares?

Spin it any way you like, OllieH but neither Emperors nor Presidents pay obeisance to anyone.

Dear Leader is simply not American Presidential timber. He does NOT represent us properly.

It is much worse than if Dear Leader had burned the flag -- that is merely an act of disrespect. Kowtowing as he did is a form of self-degradation and self-loathing...and he takes us along with him.

And that is the SECOND time he did it. He knows exactly what he is doing.

Here is what Dictionary.com has to say

Quote

Obeisance –noun

1. a movement of the body expressing deep respect or deferential courtesy, as before a superior; a bow, curtsy, or other similar gesture.
2. deference or homage:

Unquote

Your right, rolando, George W. Bush was much more presidential. You just couldn't misunderestimate that guy.

http://tinyurl.com/yft8rtv

Since we're posting links, whether on topic or not, here's a jewel. You don't think Obama would have misled the public about his real intentions during the campign do you? Nah.

http://www.weaselzippers.net/blog/2009/11/flashback-hypocrisy-candidate-obama-rips-hillary-clinton-for-wanting-to-force-people-to-buy-health-i.html

I agree, OllieH. He wasn't to be trusted; but no Muslim dared kill 13 of our military and wound 30-odd more here in the good old USA. Gotta give him credit for that one.

So what does Bush have to do with Dear Leader's essentially dropping to his knees and suckin' up to a Muslim King one day and a Japanese Emperor the next?

GREAT link, Lightnup. I loved the first comment re: a--hat. LOL

That one is bookmarked.

wow OllieH. I sure woke you up. Name call all you want, pal. I still call them like I see them. Obama is a joke.